Gone, but never forgotten
by GoneButNeverForgotten
Summary: Short one-shot. Thoughts from a character leaving us for a time. Spoilers for Volume 3 Episode 12.


A multitude of thoughts were running through her mind before the end. She thought she could do it. She believed she could do it. Believed in her friends, believed in all the people who fought today. And she had to, no, she needed to do it. No-one else was here to stop this _murderer_ from inflicting any more harm to good people.

Pain briefly flashed through her head, an intense burn, as she moved her ankle. It was funny really, the first time the so-called "Invincible" girl was to experience true pain was also the last. It would have been funny if her end wasn't coming so soon. It must be. There's nothing left to do against her.

Memories and emotions from happier times quickly flitted through her mind, picking up a sword for the first time, a birthday with her family, winning her fights, meeting her team. The assurance that Ren would always be there to lift them all up. That Nora would have a new, hair-brained scheme to raid the kitchens for more pancakes. And Jaune… Jaune. The hopeless, scrawny blonde who didn't have a chance in the world to be a hero. At least, not in her eyes. She saw so much more than that. She saw potential, warmth, fire, passion, love and so many more words.

Now the tears came, brought on by Jaune. Maybe it wasn't right to send him away. Maybe they both should have been up on this tower fighting, together. No, then they would have both died. But then at least they would have been together, together. That word sounds nice right now. Together. There's no changing it now though. Jaune will have to move on. Damn, and his embrace felt so right.

The air… This feeling of my life drifting away. Blackness tinging my eyesight. Will I be happy? Will there be a better place waiting for me… Maybe Penny will be there. Maybe I'll be able to apologise to that poor girl. I hope she'll be there. Even if she wasn't a human, she was still alive. And Amber. A woman I thought I felt a great kinship with. Taken for no real reason. And now me. All thanks to _her_.

Maybe I should be putting up more of a fight right now, but my aura's gone and I don't really feel up to it right now. I feel kind of tired. I'll just have to hope I will remember everyone when I leave.

 _She's_ got a hold on me now. This arrow really hurts. What's happening right now. Heat, I can, feel heat. This isn't so bad really. I can stop trying now, stop working hard, let someone else pick up the mantle.

Others will care for Jaune. Ruby sees his potential and so does our team. They must. I'm leaving remnant in more than capable hands. Ozpin, Qrow and the rest are still up and working. At least, I think they are… I hope they are. I guess this was always our destiny. _She_ would be the one to kill me. I don't think I can wish for a more normal fate now, it's far too late for that.

Warmth. Just imagine I'm with Jaune. He'd say _hey Pyrrah_ , awkwardly getting up to greet me, before sitting back down again. I'd beam at him, giggling. We would talk about everything, our **hopes** , our **dreams** , what we want from everything, **big** or **small** , without a care in the world. He'd get excited talking about the latest comic he was reading or a new technique he'd learn with Crocea Mors. And I'd listen. I'd listen to what he would have to say and secretly give my heart to him, because he deserves it and so much more. We all do.

And that's when it clicks. Pyrrah "The Invincible Girl" Nikos might be leaving now. But in _Jaune_ , in _Nora_ , in _Ren_ , _Ruby,_ _Weiss_ , _Yang_ , _Blake_ and so many more, the fiery spirit to fight on in the face of a great adversary will never die. It mustn't die, it can't die, it **WON'T DIE**. Steeling herself for one final push, she prayed with all her remaining strength. Prayed for her strength and spirit to carry on, to never let the Grimm overtake humanity.

This may be the fall and winter may be on the way. But one day, one hopeful day, spring may come. Spring must come, will come. Finally to be followed by a long, long beautiful summer. Pyrrah prayed for this beauty to come one day, for Jaune and everyone else to experience, even if she may never see it. But she knew at that moment, while the searing intense moment turned her body to ashes, like leaves falling from a tree, that while Pyrrah Nikos may be gone, a burning piece of her will live on in her friends and family. And her love. Gone, but never forgotten.

* * *

If you've taken the time to read this, thank you. I have been reading stories about RWBY on here for a long time, and after today thought I'd try and actually get something out on the page relating to my favourite character in the show. Well, I guess my favourite character now is Ruby, but, you know what I mean. If the thoughts and pacing and points come across as messy it's because they are. Pyrrah would definitely not be thinking straight at that point or even had much time to think so I took some liberties.

I mainly wrote this because I wanted to get some of my feelings out too. I know I shouldn't feel as bad as I do over a fictional character death but I do, and I can't explain it, I just know that I'm feeling these not so good feelings. I don't really have anyone to share these with at the moment so writing them down is the best thing I do. I felt a certain kinship to Pyrrah, while I was never at the top of my game, I never had true friends like her and I take solace in that. Even the untouchable can find those to learn to love.

Looking onto the future of RWBY is both sad and joyous at the same time. It's clearly in capable hands after this volume and the next Winter season and volumes is looking to be as good or even better than this Fall season and volumes (I think it's four seasons, Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer made up of three volumes each, like months, at least, in my head it is.) So yeah, this is messy. I don't know how to feel or what I should be feeling.

I don't blog, or really have any presence on the internet except my twitter with six followers, so this is here in the hopes that someone else like me can sense a familiar kinship. And if like me, you're lonely or looking to express yourself, I'm here to help. As always, keep moving forward, the past is gone, but never forgotten. x


End file.
